Watson eyes third Listed Dubai Creek Mile win at Meydan meet

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Racing at Meydan on Thursday features a Stakes race apiece for both the Purebred Arabians and the Thoroughbreds, the latter, the Listed Dubai Creek Mile the most valuable race on the card and attracting a field of 11, including last year’s winner, Thegreatcollection.

Trained by Doug Watson, who also saddled Stunned to land this prize in 2018, Thegreatcollection will be ridden by Pat Cosgrave, as he was 12 months ago, when his victory in this kick started a season in which he performed with distinction throughout the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

A 7yo gelded son of Saint Anddan, he may not have won again last season but he did finish runner-up in both the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge and fourth in the third leg, enough to earn himself a starting spot in the Dubai World Cup in which he was seventh.

Watson’s stable jockey, Pat Dobbs, partners Midnight Sands, a winner six times after eight previous visits to Meydan, highlighted by the Group 3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday, before somewhat disappointing in the Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup card.

The trainer’s third runner, Golden Goal, the mount of Sam Hitchcott, broke the 1400m dirt track record, which still stands, when winning a carnival handicap in January. Fourth to Midnight Sands on Super Saturday, he was in front of his stable companion when an excellent second in the aforementioned Godolphin Mile.

All three are making their seasonal debuts and first start since the Dubai World Cup meeting so have been off the track for 264 days.

Watson said: “All three are in really good shape and go there ready for a run but it is a shame I could not split them up instead of having to run them against one another.

“They will all improve from the run but this is a good spot to get their seasons started albeit having to run, unfortunately, in the same race.”

As the only 3yo in the contest, Panadol receives weight from his ten rivals. Trained by Salem Bin Ghadayer for Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the Flatter colt only made his debut in the middle of February, storming home to an easy victory in a 1600m dirt maiden.

That success over Thursday’s course and distance was backed up with victory in the 1900m Listed Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday. Over the same 1900m, he then found only Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance too good in the Group 2 UAE Derby, his third and final outing of his debut season.

He has been partnered by Mickael Barzalona on all three racecourse appearances and, perhaps significantly, the Frenchman rides in the UAE for the first time this season with six mounts on the card.

Ghadayer said: “Panadol has done very well over the summer but, as you would expect, he is taking on some good, tough horses and racing against his elders for the first time.”